Safety device for dump cars



June 17 1924.

J. O. NEIKIRK ET AL SAFETYv DEVICE FOR DUMP CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ylled Jan 29, 1925 Juil@ 17 1924.

J. O. NEIKIRK ET AL SAFETY DEVICE: FOR DUMP CARS 2 Shets-Sheevt 2 Filed Jan. 29. 1922 v QN QM Y QM KM hm NN Patented June 17, 1924B f narran srArEs PATENT QFFICE.

JOHN 0. NEIKIRK, OF LOMBARD, AND DAVID HINDAHL, 0FY GHICAGO, ILLINOIS?.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR DUMP CARS.

Application filed January 29, 1923. Serial No. 615,517.

To @ZZ 107mm z'tmag/ concern: f

Be it known that we, JOHN O. NEIKIRK and DAviD I-IINDAHL, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Lombard, in the county 'of Du Page and State of Illinois, and at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, `have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Dump Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to safety devices for dump cars.I p An object of the present invention is to provide operating means for dump cars of the typeV which opens practically instantaneously, said mechanism including a lost motion connection of novel form.

A further object is to provide a lost motion connection of the kind referred to above which has the attributes of strength and ease of assembling.

A'further object is to providel an arrangement of dumping mechanism involving flexible means, which mechanism will be simple in operation'and little likely to get out of order.

Further objects will scription proceeds.

Referring to the drawings-f- Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view appear as the deof a dump car 'illustrating the dumping mechanism Figure 2 is a fragmentary view taken in the direction indicated by the arrows 2 2 of Figure 1^;

Figure 3 is a side view in section of the structure illustrated in Figure l, said view being taken inthe direction of the arrow 3 in Figure 1; Y f

Figure 4 is a view in elevation ofv a lost motion device;

Figure 5 is a side view taken inthe direction 'of the arrow V5 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken alongv the plane indicated by the :line 6 6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a view in elevation of a'modiied form of lost motion device;

Figure 8 is a side view taken in the direction of the arrow 8 in Figure 7; and

Figure 9 is a sectional View taken along the plane indicated by the arrows 9-9 in Figure 7.

The numerals 10-10 indicate the sides of the car, while the numerals 11-l1 indicate the center sills of said car. Mounted V)the longitudinal axes 17 and 18 respectively.

Pivotally connected to the door 16Vby means of the pivot pin 16 located in an axis distantfrom the pivotal axis 18, is

vthe link 19, which mayy take an angular forni, as illustrated in the drawing. Pivotally connected to the door 15 on theshaft 20, located in an axis distant from the pivotal axis 17, is the crank 21, which crank 21 is'pivotally connected torthe link 19 by means of the pivot pin 22. The chain '13 is connected at oner end to the shaft 12 by means of a suitable connector 23, the other end of saidv chain 13 being connected to the side. of the car by a suitable connector 24, illustrated in Figure 3. The chain 13 hangs .in a loop between the shaft 12 and connector 24 and, as will be referred tofhereinafter, is'

adapted to underlie the crank 21 when the hopper doors are in closed position, whereby upon turning the shaft 12 the operatormay cause said loopto shorten to raisey the crank 21 for dumping purposes. The loop of chain 13, as illustrated in the drawings, may

' lie in a plane transversely of the length of crank 21 when said crank is in door holdling position. Expressed in other language,

the loop of chain 13 may lie in a plane eX- tending longitudinally of the 'car'. A detent 24 may be provided fcrfcontr'olling shaft 12. i

f portion 27 for engaging rchain 14. The link 19 is provided with the sheave V28, which sheave engages with `chain 14. A guard 14 v sheave 28.

VIt has been stated that one-'endof the f chain 14 will be connected through the link 26 to the crank 21. The other end of said chain is connected to a safety device which has been referred to hereinbeforeas a lost motion device. Figures 4, 5 and 6 represent one forni of lost motion device, which device is indicated as a whole by the numeral 30..

loo

, plate 2 9 may ybe provided to keep the chain, f

in operative relationship' with the y Said lost motion device as illustrated in Figures 4, a and 6 comprises an integral housing 31 rotatably mounted on the shaft 12, the twoy sides of said housing being provided with holes 32 which provide bearing surfaces for shaft 12. Said housing pro vides an annular recess, which annular recess contains the abutment 34. Mounted transversely of the shaft 12 is the stud 35 having the head 36, which head is adapted to have a movement in a circular path be'- tween the two abutting sides of abutment 34. As ivillbe noted from Figure 6, almost a complete revolution is permitted between the housing 31 and the head 36. One side 37 of the housing 3,1 is provided with an opening 3'?a of sufficient size to admit thehead V3,6 of stud 35, the other side 37b of saidv housing being of complete annular forni. As will beV noted hereinafter, the pull of chain 14 is in a direction to vhold the side 37b of housing 31 toward the head 36 of stud' 35, whereby there is no tendency for said housing 31 to move out of operativem relationship with said head 36.

The housing 31 is provided with a bolt 38,' which may be secured to housing 31 byv suitable nuts and nut locking devices. The end link of chain 14 may be mounted upon bolt 3,8, the head 39 of said bolt preventing the escape of said chain from connection with housing 31.

The form of lost motion device illustrated in Figures 7, 8 and 9 performs the functions o f the structure illustrated in Figures 4,

5 and 6. Accordingl to the disclosure inl Figures 7, 8 and 9, however, the housing 31, instead of being made` integral, is made in two separable parts 40 and 41. As illustrated in Figure 9, the member 41 may have a pin 42 and the member 40 may have a. hooked portion 43 adapted to catch over said pin 42. The two parts 40 andf41 are held together by means of the bolt 43, which thereby serves the double ,function of securing the chain 14 and holding together the two parts of housing The housing disclosed in Figuresy 7, 8l. and 9 provides an annular chamber for receivingthe head 36 of stud 35.

The parts are so designed that when the dumpi doors 15 and 16 are in vclosed position the chain 14V will have a greater number of convolutions on said shaft than has chain 13. In the conditions referred to, that is--. with the doors closed, the link 19 willV rest upon the crank 21, as illustrated in Figure 1, and the pivot pin 22 which pivotally connects link 19. and crank 21 Will lie in a position past dead center, whereby stresses applied to doors 15 and 16 to urge same to. open position will react upon link 19 and crank 21 to force pivot pins 16 and 2Q towardone another wherebyA to hold said doors 15V and 16 in closed position, es will be referred to hereinafter, when the pivot pin 22 is raised past dead center with reference to pivot pins and 16, the doors 15 and 16 will fiy open, resulting in the practically instantaneous dumping of the car.

lVith the doors in closed position releasing may be accomplished by turning the shaft 12 in the direction indicated by the arrow. Such motion will result in the uuwrapping of chains 13 and 14 from shaft 12. The Yweight of chain 14 will cause the housing 31 to revolve as the shaft 12 revolves, whereby the abutment 34 of said housing will follow the head 36 of stud 35. After the chain 13 has been completely unwrappedfom the shaft 12, further revolution of the shaft 12 in the direct-ion indi-V catedby the varrowwill cause the chain 13 to again wrapY itself upon shaft 12 but in the reverse direction from that indicated in the` drawing. The Wrapping up of chain 1 3 on shaft 12j willfinally cause chain 13 to engagv'with crank 21, raising said crank' and pivot pin 22 to a position past dead center. At this time the chain 14 will have become practically unwrapped from shaft 12. The raising of pivot pin 22' above dead centerv will causey the doors 15 and 16 to. fly open, resulting in the instantaneous dumping of the car. Inasmueh as chain 14 has become *practicallyv unwrapped from shaft 12, there should be no turning Inovenaent exerted upon shaft 12 by this sudden opening of doors 15 and 16. Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate thepositionoif the lost motion device at the instant when the chain 14 is completely unwrapped butv before chain 13 has been raised sufficiently to trip the dump doors. .fis the shaft 12 is rotated further in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1, the head 36 will move away from abutment 34, but the housing 31 will be held by the weight ofthel chain against further turning movement. lhen the dump doors fly open, therefore, there, will be no turning effect communi@ cated to shaft 12. Figures` 7, 8 and 9 illustrate conditions whenV the. chain 13 is wound up on shaft 12. f

lt willlbe understood that many modifications of the present invention will occur to. those skilled in theart. lt is intended in this pate-nt to cover all such modifications that fall within the scope ofthe invention defined by the appended claims.

le claim: 1. Dump car construction comprising dump doors, a chain for controlling said' doors, a shaft for said chai-n, said chain be ing wrapped upon said shaft during certain phases of operation of said dump Garconstruction,y a` lost motion connecting means between said shaft and said chain, said lostr motion connecting comprising an operation of said mechanism, a lost motionl device between said shaft and said chain, said lost motion device including an abutment non-rotatably mounted upon rsaid shaft, and a housing rotatably mounted upon said shaft, said housing being connected to said chain and being provided with stop means for cooperating with said abutment means but permitting a material amount of lost motion between said housing and said abutment means. i

3. In combination, a rotatable shaft, a

chain wrapped thereon, abutment means` non-rotatably mounted upon said shaft, a housing having a side wall arranged transversely of said shaft, said side wall providing an abutment for said first mentioned abutment throughout the range of relative movement between said housing and said first mentioned abutment, the other side of said housing having an opening for the insertion of said rst mentioned abutment,

said chain being disposed upon said shaft during certain phases of operation in a position to exert a pull upon said housing whereby said side wall is heldagainst said first mentioned abutment.

4. A shaft and lost motionv means for, said lost motion means comprising an abutment non-rotatably mounted on said shaft, and a housing for said abutment rotatably mounted upon said shaft, said housing having stop means for limiting rotation of said housing relative to said abutment and having a side wall stopping longitudinal movement of said housing relative to said abutment, and flexible means connected with said housing and disposed in a position to hold said side wall adjacent to said abutment.

5. In combination, a shaft, exible means cooperating therewith, said flexiblek means being wrapped upon said shaft during certain phases of operation and exerting a pull parallel with said shaft, said shaft/*being provided with an abutment non-rotatably mounted upon said shaft, and a housing for said abutment having an annular chamber permitting a lost motion connection between said housing and said abutment, said housing having a side wall held against said there-' abutment by the pull of said flexible ineinber. 'K

6. Dump car construction comprising trolling the closing and the practically instantaneous opening thereof, said mechanism including a crank and a link operatively associated with said door means,

flexible means for raising said mechanism against the force of gravity to a position to hold said 'door ymeans closed,l flexible kdump door means, mechanism for conmeans adapted to operate said mechanism against the force of gravityto cause the practically instantaneous opening lof said door means, said last `mentioned flexible means comprising a loop adapted to underlie said crank transversely thereof, and a common rotatable shaft for operating said flexible means. v

7. Dump car construction comprising dump door means, link mechanism operatively associated therewith adapted to occu py a position inwhich it exerts'forces under the influence of gravity for holding said door means closed, and a exible memben lying in a` plane transversely of said link mechanism adapted to enclose a portion of said link mechanism and to raise said link mechanism against the force of gravity to cause the opening of said door means, a second flexible member adapted to move said doors and said link mechanism to cause said link mechanism to assume a door holdingv position, and a common rotatable shaft for operating said flexible members.

S. Dumpy car construction. comprising dump door means, link mechanism extending transversely ofy the4 car adapted in a vpredetermined position ,to holdsaid doorr means closed under the'influence of gravity, and a flexible member having a loop extending transversely of said link mechanism adapted to raise said link mechanism against the force of gravity to cause the rapid opening of vsaid door means, a second flexible member for moving saiddoor means to closed position and said link mechanism to door holding position, and common operating means for said flexible members.

9. Dump car yconstruction comprising dump door means, operatingniechanism therefor, ysaid mechanism comprising means for urging said door means to closed position under the influence of gravity, and a pair of flexible members, rone of which is yoperated to move said door means to closed yposition and the other kof which is adapted to control said mechanism' to raise same against the force of gravity to cause thek i 1ro opening of said door means, said other f flexible member comprising 'a loop lying substantially ina plane extending longitudinally of the car, and a common operating member for said flexible members.

10. Dump car construction comprising dump door means, operating mechanism therefor, said mechanism having means for urging said door means to closed position under the iniuence of gravity, and a pair of flexible members, one of which is operative to move said door means to closed posin tion and the other of which is adapted to control said mechanism to raise same against the force 0I" gravity to cause the opening of said door means, said last mentioned fleXible member including a loopV adapted to be lengthened or shortened, said loop occupying a plane longitudinally of the car and underlying part of saidv mechanism, and

common operating means for said flexible members.

11.A dooi operating mechanism comprising a rotatable shaft, flexible door closing means attached to the shaft, flexible door opening means also attachedA to the shaft, and means for permitting the rotation of the shaft for continued operation of the door opening means and at the same time interrupting the operation of the door closing means. v

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this `19th day of January, 1922.

' JOHN O. NEIKIRK.

DAVID HINYDAHL. 

